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RPC’s Working Together to Make RTP’s. ??What is an RPC??. Regional Planning Organizations RPCs, COGs, RPAs, RPOs Made possible through the Regional Planning and Community Development Act of 1966.
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??What is an RPC?? • Regional Planning Organizations • RPCs, COGs, RPAs, RPOs • Made possible through the Regional Planning and Community Development Act of 1966. • The founding legislation was drafted to assist local units of government in addressing issues on a regional basis. • Missouri has 19 RPCs
History of The Regional Transportation Plans in Missouri • 1991 the Intermodel Surface Transportation Equity Act (ISTEA) made it mandatory that all States have Regional Transportation Plans • RPC’s in MO where using different types of documents for their RTPs
History of The Regional Transportation Plans in Missouri (cont’) • MoDOT and MACOG (Missouri Assoc. of Council of Governments) realized they needed a consistent document that was dynamic, and justified as well as documented the recommendations for each region. • MoDOT’s new planning document, called the Planning Framework offered a way for MoDOT and MACOG to collaborate on a Regional Transportation Plan.
History of The Regional Transportation Plans in Missouri (cont’) • MoDOT and MACOG came together to create RTP guidelines • Three year phased project • Criteria was set for the plan’s narrative section • Basic Maps were identified • Each RPC was to have its own RTP that was unique, but at the same time comparable to others
A Need for Mapping Standards • Working Groups were established • Communication was very open from the start • Large working group meetings • Small working group meetings • Conference Calls • Email, emails, emails, emails, emails • Decided what types of maps needed to be present in each of the plans sections, as well as set the standards for these maps
20 heads work better than 1 • Large Working Group Meetings • All of the RPC’s attended • Identified more in depth maps for each section of the RTP • Large group meetings identified most of the initial problems/ obstacles • Large group meetings solved most of the initial problems/ obstacles
Initial Problems • GIS Knowledge and usage was not equal in Missouri RPC’s • Level of GIS experience varied from none, to novice, to experienced • GIS software being used varied from ArcGIS 3.2 to 9.1 • Some RPC’s had GIS, some did not
Other Obstacles/Problems • Data inconsistency • There are many sources for demographic and spatial data (MSDIS, CARES, OSEDA, MCDC, BEA, MERIC, Census.gov) • Metadata is not entirely available for all these sources • EXAMPLE: Spatial data for roads may be projected in State Plain or NADS OR Employment projections may be based on county numbers or regional numbers • Symbology • Different symbology emphasizes data differently • Does not make data comparable
Small Working Group • Not all problems had a simple solution • Sometimes 5 heads are better than 20 • Able to brainstorm on more technical solutions • make decisions on solutions • Created a series of mapping standards documents for the rest of the RPC’s to follow
Bridging the Gaps • MOCAP ’05 • Partnership between MSDIS, MACOG (Missouri Assoc. of Council of Gov’t) and MGISAC • This group applied for and received National Map Cooperative Assistance Program (CAP) • Funding provided training and technical support for the RPC’s to encourage donation of locally created data to The National Map Project. • Cost share package for new GIS software • MOCAP ‘06
Bridge Condition Map Directions • Data for bridges was given to the RPC’s from MODOT • Information needed to be further refined to display the overall condition of the bridges • A member of the working group came up with a formula to refine the data • IF(Z2<=AA2,IF(Z2<=AB2,Z2,IF(AA2,=AB2,AA2,AB2)),IF(AA2<AB2,AA2,AB2)) • Put solution in easy to read directions
Special Needs Map • Large working group identified the need for this map • Small working group developed a solution • Determined what was a special need • A series of seven maps • Developed a scoring system to identify areas with the greatest needs
Results of the Working Groups • RTP map standards • Identified the layers for each map • Identified where to acquire the data • Data provided by MoDOT (TMS) • Other data sources where identified by GIS working Group • MSDIS provided a web downloadable database for RPC’s to use • Identified symbology • Provided directions for more technical operations
The Process Continues….. • We are still in phase one • Existing standards will need to be reviewed after phases one • 2 more phases of the plan before it is complete • More standards will need to be created
Positive Outcomes • Consistency • Comparability • data compatibility • open discussion • increased GIS usage • Created an overall better document